Behind the Scenes: Top 12 Fascinating Fun Facts About the Oscars You Never Knew

1. Intimate First Oscars Dinner

Imagine if the Oscars was an intimate dinner party where you could grab a seat for less than a Netflix subscription: The first Oscars ceremony in 1929 wasn't broadcast on radio or television; tickets were a mere $5, and only 270 attendees gathered for a 15-minute awards presentation that celebrated films from August 1927 to July 1928, including Emil Jannings winning Best Actor and Janet Gaynor winning Best Actress for not one, but three films. Honorary Awards also went to Charlie Chaplin and Warner Brothers at this cozy soiree.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

2. Hattie McDaniel's Historic Win Amid Segregation

Gone With the Wind, but not forgotten in history: In 1939, Hattie McDaniel broke racial barriers as the first African American actor to win an Oscar, scooping up the best supporting actress award for her role as Mammy, despite having to sit at a segregated table during the ceremony.
Source => npr.org

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=> Fun Facts about Hollywood

3. Spoiler Alert: First Oscars Winners Pre-Announced

Before the envelope please, we already know the winner: the hush-hush days of the Oscars' inaugural bash seemed more like spoiler territory than a tightly-kept secret reveal! The serious reveal: At the first Academy Awards ceremony in 1929, winners were announced three months prior to the event, held at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel with a cozy guest list of 270 invitees, no broadcasting, and a breezy 15-minute runtime.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

4. Walt Disney's Record-Breaking Oscar Collection

When he wasn't busy building magical kingdoms or charming the socks off talking mice, Walt Disney was actually quite the award hoarder: Amassing an awe-inspiring 59 Academy Award nominations during his lifetime, he secured himself 22 shiny Oscars – holding the record to this day - and even acquired numerous films entries in the esteemed National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.
Source => emmys.com

5. Ennio Morricone's Late Victory at Age 87

Starting off with some sweet rejection, only to later strike the right chord: Ennio Morricone, after being nominated five times between 1979 and 2001, won his first competitive Oscar at 87 for The Hateful Eight in 2016, making him one of the oldest recipients of the prestigious award!
Source => m.imdb.com

6. Hattie McDaniel's Trailblazing Talent

Who needs the "separate but equal" treatment when you're busy making history and breaking barriers: Hattie McDaniel, despite being forced to sit at a segregated table during the 1939 Oscars, won Best Supporting Actress, becoming the first African American Oscar winner and showing the world her versatile powerhouse talent, from acting to blues singing and becoming the first Black woman to sing on U.S. radio.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

7. WWII Oscar Plaster Substitutes

Who needs Netflix when you've got the real-life drama of metal shortages during World War II? Imagine Hollywood's finest clutching not gilded statuettes, but humdrum painted plaster Oscars: That's right, during World War II, the production of Oscar statuettes was temporarily halted due to metal shortages for the war effort. As a result, recipients in those years were given their proper awards when production resumed in 1947, with no painted plaster Oscars ever actually being made.
Source => oscars.org

8. Budget-Friendly Plaster Oscars During War

As metal became as scarce as a hen's tooth during World War II, the Oscars had a hilarious yet resourceful makeover: winners received statuettes made from plaster and sprayed with a bronze lacquer, costing only $12 each, but they were promised a gold-plated upgrade after the war.
Source => vulture.com

9. Big Five: Unpredictable Oscars Outcomes

When stars flock together for the Oscars' glorious spectacle, they either bask in their golden light or experience "you get nothing, you lose, good day sir" moment à la Willy Wonka: Of the 43 films nominated in the "Big Five" categories (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay), only It Happened One Night (1934), One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975), and The Silence of the Lambs (1991) won in all five, while eight films went home empty-handed after securing nominations in each prestigious category.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

10. Champagne-Colored Red Carpet Revamp

In a bold move that has fashionistas sipping bubbly in approval, the golden era of Hollywood seems to be taking over the 2022 Oscars' red carpet – quite literally: The iconic red carpet has been swapped out for a champagne-colored one this year, thanks to creative consultants Lisa Love and Raúl Àvila, who aimed to transform the daytime affair into an evening extravaganza, complete with partially covered shelter for A-listers and their designer ensembles.
Source => cbs8.com

11. Oscars' Most Memorable Mix-Ups

When it comes to grand finales, the Oscars sure knows how to deliver a showstopper: in the 1964 ceremony, Sammy Davis Jr. playfully heralded the wrong winner for Best Music Score, but the tale took an "envelope-pushing" turn in 2017 when Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty genuinely announced the incorrect Best Picture victor, transforming the stage into a bewildering ballet of bewilderment and blunder.
Source => variety.com

12. Uggie: Canine Star's Walk of Fame Triumph

Who let the dogs out on a star-studded soirée, you ask? The red carpet rolled over for a tail-wagging star: Uggie, the Jack Russell Terrier from the 2011 Oscar-winning film "The Artist," was the first dog to have his paw prints on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, marking his territory as a Golden Collar Award winner for Best Dog in a Theatrical Film.
Source => eonline.com